Automatic wagon-brake



Patented Nov. I5, 1898.

H. B. BENTON. AUTOMATIC WAGON BRAKE.

(Application filed Mar. 7, 1898.]

(No Model.)

TNE Nuams PETiRS cc, Pum'oumo, WASHINGTON, nv c Mrs STATES HENRY B. BENTON, OF STETSON, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,362, dated November 15, 1898.

Application filed March 7, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. BENTON, of Stetson, in the county of Oceana and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic WVagon- Brakes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the acco1npanyin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic wagon-brakes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and particularly referred to in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap automatic wagon-brake constructed as hereinafter fully shown and described,whereby the rear portion of the running-gear is m ovable forward independent of the front portion of the running-gear,

whereby the rear portion in going downgrade will automatically apply the brake to the wheel of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a running-gear embodying my invention, the body of the wagon being shown in dotted lines. Fig 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same, the body being shown in full lines. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the attachable roller device for the front bolster.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates the front portion, and B the rear portion, of therunning-gear.

O is the reach, and D the rear hound. The forward end of the hound is connected through the medium of the metallic plates F, which are provided with two pin-openings G, extendingverticallytherethrougl1,asshown,and adapted to receive pins H. The reach passes and moves freely between the ends of the hound and these plates, as illustrated, and the reach is provided with a longitudinal slot I, through which also the said pins pass. Attached to the reach in rear of these plates are the brake-arms K,preferably shaped as shown and carrying on their ends any form of brakeshoe desired.

Close upon the front bolster L of the run-= Serial No. 672,897. (No model.)

ning-gear is a roller upon which the front end of the wagon-body M freely moves longitudinally. This roller device consists, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, of end sockets CL and a cen= tral socket b, which are connected through the medium of two parallel strips 0, connected to their lower edge. Each of these sockets is provided with depending flanges d, resting, respectively, against the front and rear sides of the bolster, and the end sockets a are provided with outwardly-extending arms e,which form between them a socket for receiving the stakes f of the front bolster. The upper edges of these sockets are provided with circular openings or sockets, as shown, which are a little more than a semicircle, and thereby extend a little above the center of the periphery of the roller g to prevent the roller from becoming detached from the socket.

From the above description it will be seen that I have an attachable roller device adapted to be applied to any wagon and when placed upon the front bolster is held in place by the bolster and its stakes, and the roller is held from endwise movement also by the stakes, as clearly illustrated.

In operation when the animals back or at tempt to hold the wagon back in going down grade the heft of the load will move the rear running-gear forward,-the front end of the body moving easily upon the roller device, and the forward movement of the rear running-gear brings the rear wheels against the brake-shoes of the brake-arms, as will be readily understood. Should the wagon stop, the continual movement of the animals will draw the front part of the running-gear forward, which will immediately release the brakes from the rear wheels. The pin passing through the hound-plate and the slot in the reach limits the independent movement of the rear and front portions of the running-gear. By placing the pin in the rear hole of these plates a sufficient forward movement of the rear portion of the running-gear is permitted to apply the brake. When it is desired to prevent the brake from being applied, the pin is removed from the rear openings of the plates and placed in the front openings,which will limit the forward movement of the rear axle and thereby prevent the brake from being applied to the rear wheels.

From the above it willbe seen that I have produced a very simple brake adapted to be applied to an ordinary vehicle with but little change. Merely the application of the plates to the front ends of the rear hound and loosening the rear end of the reach moving upon the rear axle, applying the roller device to the front bolster, and putting on the brakearms complete the automatic brake device for a wagon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatic brake comprising the rear axle, the front axle, the forwardly-extending hounds separated at their front ends, plates connected to the upper and lower side of the hounds and uniting them, a reach having its front end connected with the front axle and passing between the separated ends of the hounds and the said plates, the reach having a longitudinal vertical slot, the plates having two openings, one in front of the other and registering with the said slot in the reach, and a pin adapted to be placed in either openin g for the purpose described, and outwardlyextending brake-arms connected to the reach at a point in rear of the said plates and projecting in front of and adapted to engage the peripheries of the rear wheels, substantially as described.

2. An automatic wagon-brake comprising a plurality of sockets having their upper surfaces embracing a longitudinal roller, the sockets having ears or projections adapted to engage opposite sides of the front bolster, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic Wagon-brake of the character described, a roller device for supporting the front end of the Wagon-body comprising a plurality of sockets, a connecting member therefor, the sockets having projections engaging the bolster and the bolster-stakes and their upper surfaces provided with circular sockets to receive a roller, substantially as described.

4:. A roller device for Wagon-brakes of the character described, comprising sockets having their upper surfaces partially embracing a roller, their lower sides provided with depending flanges engaging the rear and front sides of the bolster and their ends with oppositely-projecting arms extending at opposite sides of the bolster-stakes,whereby the stakes assist in holding the sockets in place and prevent the endwise movement of the roller, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. BENTON.

lVitnesses:

G. (J. TWINING, E. L. HUNTING. 

